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Get the back story of a high-end bag at Gucci’s Artisan Corner [Updated]

April 20, 2010 | 8:00
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Ever wonder what kind of labor goes into making your favorite high-end “it” bag? For $1,500-plus, you assume it’s painstaking hours of stitching, embossing and hammering of hardware, all to create a handbag that’s desirable enough to launch a thousand waiting lists.

To give their customers a glimpse into the design and production process behind their favorite Gucci bag, starting this Thursday the Italian house is bringing the “Artisan Corner” to its Beverly Hills boutique.

The “artisan corner” is a traveling demonstration (which has already been in cities such as Rome, Paris and Tokyo and will be going through New York, San Francisco and L.A.) complete with custom-built workshops and four Gucci craftsmen from Florence building the Bamboo and New Pelham bags. Customers can see what happens before the Blackberry hits the bag’s rectangular pocket and just how tedious a leather tassel can be to make. The Gucci artisans will also be customizing leather strips with customers' initials. Each bag made during the “artisan corner” event will include a plaque stating the date and location the bag was “born.”

For Gucci fans or anyone who appreciates the story behind luxury goods, stop by the boutique at 347 N. Rodeo Drive for live demonstrations. Those of us who can’t currently afford such things but love a good Gucci bag, we can still go to dream … and drool.